> To all you "divorce-boat" people out there, we do UE races on our tandem bike, so shut it

I guess you have the same cycling style, fitness and skill level. Do you have the same paddling style ? Do you know yet ? Do you both learn motor skills at the same rate ? Did you learn to ride a bike on a tandem or start on separate bikes ? Will you always paddle together or might one of you have the time or inclination to paddle without the other occasionally ?

There's different ways to achieve the same thing in a kayak, and different people of different builds often paddle in quite different ways even in similar boats and the same conditions. If my wife and I paddle a tandem open boat we end up crashing into things (and other people) as we don't communicate well enough (neither is prepared to order the other about) and try to make our turn by different techniques. In a tandem sea kayak we have different arm lengths and paddling styles and can't paddle in synch, even on the few occasions when we want to paddle in the same direction. You need to be pretty sure of your ability to paddle well together before investing time in building a double - rent a double and go out in in it (with other people whilst you are learning) before committing to a boat which may not get as much use as you'd like. Find out what works for you - can you paddle at the same cadence for long periods without one of you getting more tired ? You may need to choose paddles (length and blade area) specifically to enable you to paddle at the same rate. If you can't paddle in synch, you'd want a design with the cockpits far enough apart not to need to. That gives the boat a higher moment of inertia and makes it a little harder to turn, and you have to work together, but doing different things. Doubles can work better with a rudder (anathema on a single), but the hull has to be designed with that in mind, otherwise you risk lee helm.. Lots of things to consider before you can choose a design.

No matter how well you work together, making a double work so that it is *not* a divorce boat may well be easier if you have gained experience in singles first.

I've been happily married for over twenty years, but the double sea kayak is up for sale now the kids have grown up ;-) and so is the big open boat...